Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)

Federal funds make a difference to library services every day in Oklahoma. Dollars appropriated by the U.S. Congress are dispersed to the states and territories by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Grants to States Program. In recent years, ODL has received an annual grant of $2 million+ to initiate, improve, and enhance library and information services in our state.

Since the creation of the original Library Services Act in the 1950s to today’s LSTA program, Oklahomans have recorded landmark benefits from federal library funding. 

To name a few:

• A Statewide Interlibrary Loan Service was established and continues to connect Oklahomans with the information they need from far and wide.
• Library demonstration projects in the 1960s and 1970s led directly to the creation of five multi-county public library systems in the state.
• Consultation and continuing education through ODL gives staff at even the smallest public libraries the professional help they need to serve their communities. Staff at tribal libraries also benefit from ODL’s continuing education services.
• For more than half a century, Oklahoma children have benefited from Summer Reading programs at their local libraries, combating the summer learning slide that young people can experience between school years.
• ODL initiated an Adult Literacy program in the 1980s that has become a model for the nation. In the past decade, ODL’s program has expanded to include a Health Literacy initiative which has brought healthy living programs and resources to communities across the state.
• More than 300 Oklahoma residents have become naturalized citizens of the United States with the help of their local libraries and adult literacy programs thanks to an Immigration and Citizenship program.
• LSTA funds have been an important tool in establishing and improving Internet Access in public libraries across the state. For many smaller communities, the library is the place with dependable connectivity to online resources and applications.
• Today, all types and sizes of Oklahoma libraries are able to offer their customers a broad range of up-to-date online reference and information services.
• Many smaller public libraries are able to offer an expanded variety of eBooks and audio books to their communities.
• In 2022, ODL has used LSTA dollars to support a new online learning, tutoring, and navigation service to help students of all ages, job seekers, and Oklahoma veterans.

Oklahoma’s LSTA Plan (PDF): ODL creates a five-year plan to guide use of our federal funds. We reach the end of the current 5-year period at the end of December 2022. Both the independent evaluation of our 2017-2022 program, and our new five year plan for 2023-2027, have been approved by the ODL Board and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

LSTA Reauthorization (PDF): Every five years, the LSTA program, administered through the Institute of Museum and Library Services, is up for Congressional reauthorization. Representatives from ODL and other Oklahoma libraries meet with our state’s Congressional representatives on an annual basis to share the difference federal funding makes to Oklahoma library services.

In spring of 2022, ODL shared the following document with our D.C. representatives and senators. Note that it includes our use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars as well as our use of LSTA funds.

Search this IMLS database to see how ODL has used Oklahoma’s federal library funding in the past. Choose Oklahoma and the federal fiscal year to see individual projects. Reports for FFY2014 through FFY2020 are available. LSTA funds are two-year grants, so the FFY2021 report will not be available until the end of 2022.